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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. squash — the sport
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. stand — to bear
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. rush — hurry
  18. mine — for digging
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. stand — for spectators

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com